Self-Guided Savannah Walking Tour

Welcome to the Savannah Walking Tour

Discover the heart of the oldest city in Georgia with this self-guided Savannah walking tour! Stroll along cobblestoned streets and past all kinds of cute shops and restaurants on the beautiful riverfront. Admire beautifully preserved historic architecture. Get to know Savannah’s most influential residents of days past. And, of course, dig into the complex history of the city, from the Native tribes who once occupied the region to the battle between enslavers and abolitionists and beyond.

About the Tour

Your Savannah walking tour begins at the Visitor Center. From there, you’ll stroll toward the waterfront. On your way, you’ll hear about Savannah’s pre-colonization history.

The first landmark you’ll see is the Ships of the Sea museum, which offers a chance to learn more about how maritime trade shaped Savannah. Then there’s the First African Baptist Church, dating back to 1773!

You won’t be able to resist snapping some photos when you arrive at the riverfront, especially since it looks like a slice of the past! As you walk along these cobbled streets, you’ll hear about the struggle between enslavers and abolitionists.

Then, you’ll stop at Factor’s Walk, an old brick building that was once one of the biggest export hubs of cotton in the world. After that, you’ll pass Emmet Park and discover why Irish history is such a big deal in Savannah.

Your route takes you next to the Olde Pink House, which dates back to 1771 and has seen just about every significant era of Savannah’s history firsthand. But the next stop, Johnson Square, is even older, with origins in 1734!

Next, you’ll pass a market that has survived wars, hurricanes, and even fires. Just beyond that is Telfair Academy, the oldest art museum in the southern US.

At the Owens-Thomas House, next, you’ll get a good look at some of Savannah’s most striking historic architectural trends. Then you’ll stop by the birthplace of Juliette Gordon Low, founder of the Girl Scouts of America!

After that, you’ll find yourself at the Harper Fowlkes House, a Greek Revival structure exemplifying the lavish wealth of antebellum Savannah. Next, take a breather on a bench in Chippewa Square, where a famous scene from Forrest Gump was filmed!

Then, check out the Independent Presbyterian Church of Savannah, built to look just like the one commissioned by King George II.

Savannah Theatre is up next, a still-active theatre that has been putting on performances since 1818! Then you’ll stop at Savannah’s first Roman Catholic church and learn its unexpected origins.

Next, you’ll see Madison Square and relive the bloody battle that played out there in 1779. Then, take a moment to admire the Sorrel Weed House, the largest residential property in the entire city.

Hear about General Sherman’s march on Savannah as you continue your tour, then pause by a lavish piazza once owned by Savannah’s wealthiest resident.

Literary buffs won’t want to miss the next stop—the childhood home of famous author Flannery O’Connor! That’s followed by Calhoun Square, a pleasant park with a dark past. Then there’s the lush Forsyth Park, the city’s oldest park and the perfect place for a picnic.

Next, swing by the site of a grisly murder that was made infamous by the 1994 novel Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.

Finally, you’ll arrive at the Ralph Mark Gilbert Civil Rights Museum. Your tour concludes here.

Starting Point Address: Savannah Visitor Center